French Fries and Potato Chips: Deadly Diet Choices?

Credit: iStock

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests people who eat fried potatoes more than twice per week have more than double the risk of early death compared to those who avoid fried potatoes. While potatoes often have a bad rep, researchers did not find a similar risk from eating potatoes cooked using other methods.

The research, which was part of a larger osteoarthritis study, looked at potato consumption in 4,400 people between the ages of 45 and 79 over a period of eight years. Study participants were divided into two groups, based on how often they ate potatoes. Types of potatoes considered “fried” included French fries, hash browns, potato chips, and others cooked in a fryer.

Generally, potatoes are a healthy vegetable. According to the National Potato Council, they contain no fat, sodium, or cholesterol, and are high in vitamin C and potassium.

Think Coconut Oil Is Healthy? Think Again

Credit: iStock

According to a new report from the American Heart Association (AHA), about 72 percent of Americans mistakenly consider coconut oil a “healthy food.” This may be a dangerous misconception: Coconut oil is 82 percent saturated fat, a type of fat we’re urged to avoid because it can raise levels of “bad” cholesterol—low-density lipoprotein (LDL)—and increase heart disease risk.

Saturated fats, which, according to dietary guidelines, should make up less than 10 percent of your total calorie intake, usually come from processed foods and animal products like butter and lard, but coconut oil is a plant-based product that contains unhealthy amounts of saturated fat.

Research shows that replacing saturated fats with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats—from sources like olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish, for example—can lower cardiovascular disease risk by about 30 percent. Despite claims that coconut oil has health benefits, you should avoid it, says the AHA.

Gun-Related Injuries and Deaths Skyrocket Among U.S. Kids

Credit: iStock

According to a study published in the journal Pediatrics, gun-related injuries are now the third leading cause of death in children between the ages of one and 17 in the United States. Each year, almost 1,300 children die from gunshot wounds and another 5,790 children are treated for and recover from gunshot wounds.

For the study, researchers analyzed data from the National Vital Statistics System, the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, and the National Violent Death Reporting System. They evaluated trends in gun deaths and gun-related injuries in children from 2002 to 2014. Between 2012 and 2014, about 53 percent of gun-related fatalities in children under the age of 18 were homicides, 38 percent were suicides, and the rest were classified as accidental deaths, law enforcement shootings, or “undetermined.”

Boys, older children, and African-American children were more likely to die in shootings, according to researchers. Experts believe that community- and school-based programs to connect with young people in high risk areas, and programs that provide information about safe gun storage practices, are needed to reverse this alarming trend.